


Coming Home - Kinda

by Caedmon



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: AOU spoilers, Age of Ultron spoilers, Angst, F/M, I wrote this so fast, adjustment of shitty spoilers, alright then, clint barton - Freeform, divorced clint, ex-wife, hawkeye's farm, here let me fix that for you, joss whedon pissed me off, so I fixed it, there's swearing in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 19:19:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3702881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caedmon/pseuds/Caedmon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Homecomings are never easy when you're only kind of wanted, and some of the guests you bring are really, really <i>un</i>wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Home - Kinda

**Author's Note:**

> The AoU spoilers pissed me off. Joss Whedon pissed me off. This fic was a kneejerk headcanon reaction, written so, so, so fast with no beta. I'm sure it's sloppy as hell and full of mistakes, and I know that there are a couple of glaring mistakes, but dammit - I had to reconcile the spoilers from today in my own mind.

The clicking sound that signaled the de-cloaking stirred Clint out of his reverie, and he stroked Natasha's hair one last time before he sighed, kissed her forehead and stood to give the necessary directions.

"Tony, do whatever you have to do to get the jet and us cloaked, then come in and bring Bruce. Keep an eye on him." Clint looked over at Bruce, huddled in a blanket and staring blankly. He had been responsive but distant and Clint had massive reservations about bringing him to the place where his children slept, but they had no other place to go. He had to trust that Bruce could control himself and the Avengers could control the Hulk if Bruce got out of hand. Clint stared piercingly at Tony and Stark gave a short nod, showing he understood. Bruce didn't look up.

"Cap, you've got Nat. Do not let her out of your arms, much less your sight until you get my explicit say-so. And if I am acting even the _slightest_ bit off or don't say the words 'spider' and 'hawk' somewhere in the same sentence, _it's not me and don't let her go with me._ " Steve nodded, clenching his jaw and looking down at a sleeping Natasha.

"This has the potential to get ugly. We're dropping in unannounced and there's some bad blood. She'll get over it, but it could get tense. I'm sorry in advance. Thor, you can stay with Tony or come with me and Cap. Whichever you prefer."

Thor looked over towards Tony. "You have the ability to speak with us back online, correct?"

"Yeah, it's up."

"If anything arises," he cut his eyes ever so briefly towards Bruce, "you should call me at once and I will come. But I feel I should go with Hawkeye. I fear an ambush."

Tony nodded and Cap agreed, "That's probably wise."

Clint looked around at his team for a moment, letting his eyes linger on Natasha for just a second longer, steeling himself for what was coming. 

He grabbed his bow. "Right. Cap, you get Nat and remember what I said." He turned around and slammed the bay door button, feeling the cool air rush in as it opened. "Let's get moving."

o0o

He saw the door open before they'd even gotten into the yard very far and two small streaks came flying out, yelling, followed by a taller, slower figure stalking into the doorway, crossing her arms and leaning in the doorjamb with her brows furrowed.

Clint ran forward and dropped to his knees, beaming despite the confrontation he knew was coming, scooping his squealing children into his arms. 

"Daddy!"

"Daddy, I _missed_ you!"

"Daddy I lost a tooth, look!"

"Cooper threw up on my bed and it was really gross."

Clint laughed and kissed each of them, hugging them close. "Daddy loves you both so much. You have no idea how much I missed yo-"

 _"Daddy,"_ Lila whispered, awestruck. "Is that... _Captain America?_ And _Thor?_ "

Clint chuckled and opened his mouth to answer but Cooper, ever the observant one piped up: "Daddy, what's wrong with 'Tasha?"

Clint sobered, smiling gently to keep from alarming the children. "Yes, Lila, these are Daddy's friends, Steve and Thor. They're very nice and you'll like playing with them. And 'Tasha is going to be just fine. She's just a little sick and needs to rest."

"She can sleep in my room! I got new pink pillows and we can have a sleepover!"

Clint smiled again and pulled his daughter closer to kiss her on the forehead, looking over her head to see Laura's lips making a thin line. 

"Go on inside, baby. I'll be in in a minute. I need to talk to Mommy. Can you show Captain America and Thor where your room is?"

"Sure!" She turned and sprinted towards the house, not even looking back towards the superheroes to make sure they were following as they should.

Cooper followed suit. "I wanna show Thor _my_ room!"

Steve and Thor looked at each other, then at Clint still kneeling on the ground. He stood up slowly, shooting a glance towards the house before he turned back towards his teammates. Clint nodded towards the house and told them quietly, "It's okay. I'll handle it. Go lay Nat down and stay with her. I'll be there soon."

Steve nodded and adjusted Natasha before following the squealing children. Thor hesitated a second, watching the small woman staring angrily at Hawkeye. "Good luck, my friend."

Clint didn't acknowedge him. He waited a moment before taking a breath and walking off to face the wrath of his ex-wife.

o0o

He climbed the three steps to the front porch, hearing the familiar groan of the old wood and taking some odd comfort from it. Oh, what he wouldn't give to sit down with a cold beer in the rocking chair just listening to crickets and never have to worry about fucking robots ever again?

"Hey, Laura." Clint smiled, a small boyish smile. It had always worked for him before, had always melted her. Even when he'd been a complete ass, she'd always come around when he'd smiled like that and _damn_ he hated to manipulate the situation but lives were at stake. Millions, _billions_ of lives.

Laura didn't react. She stared at him with her brows still furrowed, arms still crossed and jaw still clenched. "No."

"Aw, come on. I brought a god." He tried the smile again.

"This isn't funny." _No dice._

"I'm always funny." One last try with the smile.

"Fuck off, Clint." _Well, shit on that tactic then._

"Come on, Laura."

"No. Not even no but _hell_ no." Laura dropped her arms and started using one finger to point forcefully in various directions, punctuating her words. "You can't be here. You can't stay here. And you sure as shit can't bring _her_ here."

Clint gritted his teeth. " _She_ is your children's stepmother, and has a name. It's Natasha." Laura crossed her arms again and turned her head, looking away. "I also might take this opportunity to remind you that while this is your home and will always be your home as long as you want it, I own this house and this farm and you cannot and will not tell me when I can and can not come to my house on my farm and who I can and can not bring."

Laura turned away completely then, storming into the house and letting the screen door slam behind her once before Clint opened it and followed her into the kitchen. She whirled on him when she reached the island, placing her hands on the countertop and leaning forward. "Well I had just thought that you would have enough common decency not to bring your homewrecking tramp into what you admit is _my_ home. After what she did? And you bring her around our children? My _God_ , Clint. Is nothing beneath you?"

Clint closed his eyes and counted to three. His children did not get to see him very often, and he would not spoil the times they did have together by letting them see this kind of strife. Not if he could help it.

Laura kept at it. "It wouldn't have been so bad if you had started dating someone a decent interval after we split or something, but oh no. Oh, no no no. Playboy of the western world Clint Barton had to be bedding his _partner_ while they worked together the whole time we were married, just having a grand old time behind my back, didn't you? I bet you just _loved_ those missions where you got to play husband and wife, huh?"

_Close your eyes and count, Barton. One...two...three._

"Nat and I did nothing wrong, Laura. I was gone all the time on missions. Nat was my partner more often than not, yes. My _partner_ , not my lover. We were both very uncomfortable on those missions where we had to act married _because_ I was already married to you, Nat moreso than me. She didn't want to disrespect you. But you and I had problems all on our own. We separated - _four years ago_. It wasn't until the papers were filed that Nat and I became a thing. She did absolutely nothing wrong, and she doesn't deserve this from you."

"But your children, Clint? They _ache_ to see you, to be with you. They brag about you all the time - I mean, for heaven's sake, their Dad is an _Avenger_ , and when you do come to see them you pop up with this...this..."

"Stop, Laura. Just stop. She is their stepmother and she's been attacked. The Avengers need a place to lie low and Nat needs to recoup."

"Well she can't do it here."

"She can and she will."

He anticipated the slap, catching her wrist as her hand flew towards his face.

"No, Laura. I was a shitty husband to you in a lot of ways and this is a crappy situation to put you in, but you don't get to hit me."

Laura relaxed her hand when she realized it was pointless to struggle, then relaxed her shoulders and allowed her head to droop and tears to spill.

"I don't understand why you have to rub salt in my wound, Clint. I don't know why you have to bring her here. Why can't you take her somewhere, anywhere else?"

He was grateful that she didn't look up. He'd never been able to stand it when she cried, and although he didn't love her anymore he still hated the thought of hurting her. Clint slackened his grip on her wrist as he answered her. "All of our safehouses were listed and compromised except for this one. Stark is cloaking the house as we speak, we'll be safe." He waited a moment, pausing to see if another attack was incoming. When he was sure she wasn't going to hit him again, his voice softened and he let go of her hand entirely. "But be honest, Laura. You couldn't really let me put her in another house where she'd be in certain danger, not when you can offer her safe harbor here, could you?"

She reached up and angrily swiped at her eyes. "I hate you, Clint."

"I know. I deserve it."

"I hate her, too."

"She doesn't deserve it, but I understand why you do."

Laura snuffled and Clint reached over to the papertowel holder, pulling one off and handing it to her. She huffed a little laugh. "That's Clint. Grab a papertowel when the tissues are five feet away."

One corner of his mouth twitched up. "Yeah, well, some things never change, huh?" 

She huffed another laugh and blew her nose softly, composing herself. Clint closed his eyes and hated himself before driving the nail in further.

"Laura, I know how you feel about her, but she is a part of the team and the team needs to be here. I don't need you to be nice, but I do need you to allow her houseroom and to be civil, at _least_ in front of the kids. Okay? Can you please do that for me?"

Laura took a shuddering, stabilizing breath and looked towards the cieling before looking at Clint. "Yes. I will be civil and put you guys up if you promise we will be safe."

"I swear on my life. I would never endanger the kids." Clint thought about Bruce in the jet and cringed mentally.

Laura said, "Well, then there's just one thing I suppose."

Clint tilted his head, confused. "Yeah? What's that?"

"You're going to have to settle the cage match that springs up over which kid shares a room with which Avenger."


End file.
